THE MEET-UP

Mr. K watches as Ms. P gets up and leaves. He pays the bill and walks across the street to meet his brothers for lunch with a new pep in his stride, a spark in his eye and a cheeky grin on his face as he smiles at Ms. A who is heading into the same restaurant.

Ms. A

Ms. A is running ‘just a tad late‘ she convinces herself. She reminded herself on the drive here that she will not break down into tears of frustration at yet another baby shower she is attending. The owners and shop attendants at her local toy store know her by name now. She is flustered as she approaches the restaurant and watches this striking man look her up and down and then beam a most beautiful smile her way.

“Oh boy”, she thinks,” I look like a righteous flustered mess and now I have to deal with Beaming Bob, Lord give me strength!”

She gives the man a courteous nod, straightens her skirt and saunters into the restaurant with a smile plastered on her face for good measure and her arms wide open to greet her friend whose day they were all celebrating.

It is normal baby chit chat at the table and a casual catch up. Ms. A has not seen most of these ladies in years so the baby shower has turned into a mini-reunion of engagement and wedding rings, baby photos and couples holidays. Ms. A has not lost her composure nor the smile on her face, she is used to this and once in a while when she looks up from the table she sees Beaming Bob glance her way.

He is sitting two tables down from their party with a bunch of well dressed good looking men. She smiles back at him and holds his gaze just a second longer as if to challenge him to get up and save her from the pink fluff and mindless chatter. He tilts his head towards the restaurant hallway as if to tell her to join him. She excuses herself from the table and walks towards the hallway where Beaming Bob joins her.

After some flirtations and introductions, Ms. A is glad she looked up from her table to smile and Mr. K.

“Let’s see what Mr. K has up his sleeve” she thinks, as she gives him her phone number.

THE PLAY

Ms. A is slightly amused by all the attention Mr.K is showering her with, amused yet mistrusting. “How long can this man maintain the charade.” she wonders and decides to test him on her own terms. After three or four beautifully orchestrated dinner, brunch and lunch dates with his friends and their loved ones, Mr. K cancels on her at the last moment for their coffee date and asks if he can repay her with a home-cooked meal.

She agrees to meet him at his place later that evening.

About an hour before she is meant to meet up at Mr. K’s apartment in one of the towns trendy neighborhoods, she calls in a fluster to cancel. She comes up with an excuse to go see her sister in a nearby town, blah blah blah. Mr. K is confused, disappointed and starts begging and bargaining with her. I mean this was the night he was going to score, and Ms.A just threw him a curve ball.

Ms. A puts on a freakum dress and hits the night scene with her girlfriends, flirts up a storm with the gents and gets treated like a princess all night, all the while ignoring Mr. K’s inquiries after her sister’s health.

“Let the games begin” Ms. A thinks as she smiles into her glass of champagne whilst winking at the gorgeous man sitting next to her in the VVIP booth of the towns trendiest club.

Writer: Jules